Mr Smith not a generic choice for a new era

I think that is a plus for Dave, he can help drag the game out of that mentality. The bonus of getting someone removed from the game who had a plan to put into action.

Well the last accountant they were going to give the reigns to was Searle! The problem with using a candidate internal to league is that we had to set up a salary cap structure to stop our CEO’s from shooting themselves in the foot. Even then some of them still manage to stuff it up.

I think he’ll be good for the game. He will get hammered about not knowing the game by the fans whenever a change comes through, So I thank god they rubbed out the shoulder charge before he stepped in. I just hope he’s got the fortitude to ignore the Journo’s ill informed barbs like they are banker jokes at a barbie.

He didn't really run an international bank. He's in charge of winding down the regional office that is less than 5% (and shrinking) of the banks assets

Maybe we need to get the branding guys in get rid of this tired old NRL moniker and go with sleek new name like "Davo"

It is the dinosaur reporters writing the stories, asking the questions, not rugby league people. And Moffett. Moffett allowed the Hoppa incident to get out of hand, and went for holidays while he should have been running the code. You can have all the holidays you like when you are retired. Or join union, kontiki tours every year.

give the guy a chance. im not sure why his rugby union background was mention in the first place but this have come about because of the idiots getting their cheques from news limited. talking about shooting itself in the foot once again rugby league.

The failed bid for the soccer world cup, stuffed up stadium development for rectangle fields. investment put on hold pending that decision, and then we had the GFC. Sydney needs to invest in Public transport infrastructure. Make getting to the game easier. the decision by soccer to change to summer a few years ago should have been a boon for the rugby codes, the round fields have had the advantage of summer and winter tennants for years, and thus a reliable cashflow. hopefully the fixed draw next year drives up attendance at games (alhough a couple of games I want to attend are in the final five weeks!)

I have a question, how does being a banker qualify you to run rugby league? There have been plenty of bankers involved in rugby union Australia and still rugby league is more popular and successfull than union. I sincerly hope this guy does well but if he is being hired to watch the money couldn't we have offered him a position as an accountant.

Leaguies need to get over their faux- class warfare, substitutonist hangups about rahrahs... I'm sure this guy will be good for the corporate game. On another level though, I don't know if running an international bank and 'protecting' England from the IRA are such laudable things It's essentially like the Israel-Palestine conflict, a real Goliath and David struggle (note the inversion)...

I'm sure he has the qualifications to be the CEO of an organisation, but I wonder how he will fare in the notoriously insular world of rugby league?

An absolutely bizarre appointment, but we'll see how it goes. First and foremost you've got to appoint a league man to the job, or else he won't have a clue what he's doing. It's got to be viewed more in the context of it being a stepping stone in the career of David Smith - maybe he really wants to be CEO of the Welsh Rugby Union, and this job is one step on the road to getting there...

All i know Johnno is that Gallop was the right man for our code at that time. Soccer dude wanted him, but i am glad the NRL got him. He had to keep NRL bigheads and News happy. Plus the players, lets not go there, he did a great job, a lesser man would have walked away. That is the key words. A lesser man would have walked. This is why i wont ever knock Gallop, i wanted him gone, i dont think he is right to grow our game from here, but i think Gallop was pwerfect for our code up until now. Hope that make sense. Gallop, he will be perfect for soccer FFA, Footy oz. Already they have the problem of the code for schoolies i say, (younger generation), so with that comes a whole heap of problems. Rugby league as happens in England take their youth under their wings and make sure they dont get out of hand. Soccer on the other hand is a whole different kettle of fish. The youth are hands on. Gallop will find a happy place like Happy Gilmore for FFA. He will have the staying power to make it happen. It could get ugly. No, this guy (our Smithy) will be leading a army of true believers who have been looking for someone to lead them to the promised land for over 20 years now. Trust me. His job will be easy if he leads from the front. He has a 20 million strong army, from here, NZ and PNG pacific and at their prime, seasoned warriors like Ghengihs Khan and his hoards, all waiting for our leader to grow the game. (grow the game) conquer, pillage and unite the hoards.

:) Yes we seem to like Dave's. Forget about blaming rahrah, we can blame the bankers. The rahrah's are the least of our worries, they have more problems with trying to pay for their Kontiki tours for the wallabies. What rugby league, the commission, the code, the fans, the other codes,soccer and rugby union, we all have to make sure that no more. ? No more round grounds are built in this country. enough is enough. Our code4s have to put up with sitting out in the cold(Canberra) no cover for rain, Canberra, Lychicrt, SFS, Cowboys, Warriors, Parramatta. (alright,, and Manly, shame Sydney shame) 3 codes being neglected, treated like dirt. 3 international codes treated like second class citizens and for what? A Domestic code and Cricket, which might have 1 or 2 sellouts ayear. Give the other 3 codes decent stadium and watch the crowds rise. Even NZ puts us to shame, they have inclosed winter stadium, Melbourne has one for AFL, etihad, In the meantime we watch as each state has hundreds of millions spent on 1 code, while we are treated like rubbish, Rubbish i tell ya. Well No more. Enough is enough.

oikee agreeed about Buckley. I just can't fathom how Gallop will do a worse job than Buckley. Buckley gets a pass mark. He turned up to work, did the tv deal which was not rockery science mind you, and that was about it. I saw Buckley on tv in some type of media forum thing on SBS, awnsering media questions form football people. And the lack of knowledge or even concern for me was just appalling and so glaring. How Frank Lowy gave Buckley the job I won't know. Maybe coz of the turmoil soccer was in he wanted someone totally distant form soccer in OZ, short term gain maybe long term disaster 7 years too. Gallop comes to soccer in a total different stage of the game than when Buckley was ceo. Soccer is now mainstream the A-league is now totally in the mainstream conscious. No longer do people just think socceroos , we think A-league just a smooch to in the public conscious. And now the soccer's benefit from the flow on effect. I think Gallop would have been the wrong choice like Buckley 7 years ago, but now Gallop is the right choice as he would of seen lots of soccer as most aussies would of seen some since that night in 2005. He would of seen the 2006 and 2010 world cup, and the rise of public awarness for starters. Gallop to me wasn't a natural to start with in the NRL, and he was dogged for much of his career as being an outsider , and suffered a lot from Gus Gould's spin and antics. Somehow I can't see Gus taking on Dave smith or John Grant either. Both are 2 heavyweight boxers and Gus is the cruiser weight no doubt. Some think Gus ran the NRL post super league , in many ways him and Wayne Bennett had massive influence. Gallop seemed too, too cop a lot of crap on the footy show as well when he went on and look unconvincing and vulnerable. He started to become stronger too as the years wore on and no longer felt he had to justify the likes of fatty and Matty and Gus. But still in a way Grant ultimately to me bullied Gallop and either roost confidence in Gallop, felt threatened by Gallop developing into a top strong leader and sports administrator in OZ who he could;t control and who he feared ultimately had more seniority than him. Or simple he didn't feel any chemistry with the guy. 2 different personalities, bit intelligent just different. And maybe he feels a connection with david smith , or doesn't feel threatened by him as he is not from the sport. Physically as well John grant looks bigger on tv than what he is in real life he was only a wing or a centre back in his day. His face looks more like a 2nd rower but he was actually a wing or centre. a guy like John Ribot who was a wing but a big winger john kirwan style is actually much bigger bloke. But Dave Gallop leaving he left with his stocks higher than when he left unlike say Neil Whittaker for example. This bloke clearly is smart as is John Grant. I think John Grant just felt a connection to this bloke, and also the 2 chiefs theory. This dave smith is a chief but he hasn't yet had the experience in the game to become a bigger chief. I think Gallop was a bigger chief than john Grant ultimately in the end, and only 1 could stay. And it was Gallop who jumped and left. And Gallop is coming into soccer at a far easier time for the game than when Ben Buckley came in. But is now fa rmore suited to the role as soccer has gone mainstream. I think Gallop would of struggled too if he went in when Buckley went in, and still think a football man should of been appointed back then.. But Gallop is the right man at the right time for soccer. This Dave Smith 50/50 not sure. One thing I do like though is he won't cow pow , or wimpier down or take any rubbish from the likes of Gus, Fatty, or Bolts Ray Hadley, Bozo, and he won't be getting dressed up in pink frocks with the big marn and being ticklish and silly, nor will he even bother to know the "Falcon" Mario WHo" Fenech exists lol, or reg maty johns Regan or MG . A class above those clowns is Dave Smith , different Worlds Oikee .

Now we have a former ru man as CEO,any bad decision made, we rl fans can attribute to his background.The blame game. It's all the rah rah's fault.I can smell the word hybrid,drifting around in the background LOL. It could be worse ,he could be Irish, like the current Qantas lad. What is it about the name David in the NRL? David Moffet, David Gallop David Smith and let's not forget the other David:Gyngell.

The ARLC have done well with their PR to date. As unpopular as the decision to ban the shoulder charge is, it had to be done. The timing was very astute. Make the announcement, everyone is up in arms, it's in the media for a few days and before it can really gather steam they announce the CEO. People are more interested in this announcement and the ban loses it's momentum until the season starts. Had they announced the ban after D. Smith appointment, people would be blaming his Rugby Union background and suggesting he is trying to make RL into Union.

Yes Messta, dead right. A couple of things i noticed which really impressed. The fact nobody had a clue who he was, good sign for our Commish. Looks like leaks and stories will be kept to a minimun. Nearly go as far to say beleive nothing unless the commish or Smithy make a statement. He wont be hanging around Gus, Pollinski or the anthill mob in Sydney at Cafe's looking for a story. Finally, the confidence that John Grant brings to the table is second to none in sport. This guy is ex-league as you know, has concured the business world and knows his stuff. I am sure if Smithy needs anyone to talk to, Grant will be there for him. Plus the commission know what is good or bad for the game, is why the shoulder charge is gone and never coming back. Having said that, as long as no player gets hit in the head, i dont think anyone will be charged for a high shot, i just have another gut feeling. They have covered there own backs by banning a class action play for being sued. So if it happens now it is totallly accidental. ? Well it is banned, so it cant be on purpose, and a Travis Burns type suspension is all i can see happening. Plus the game will be safer with guys trying to make bit hits and missing the target. Johnno, best thing soccer ever done is get rid of Buckley. Gallop is a much better fit. When things go pair-shaped, Gallop will be there to pick up the pieces.

That comment is indeed Cool,Meesta,and one that I fully endorse.

A guy with Business nous, coming from a working class family in Wales and serving in one of Britain's toughest regiments.. This guy will be no Sook!. If you cross him, "Be afraid be very afraid", he will need no-one to fight his battles for him!... Tha fact that he doesn't know names is a strength,,, He comes into the job with 'No favouritism'!!!. --- welcome to The Rugby League Family David,